Power feed mechanism for machine tools



Jan. 6, 1942. R. H.. RIDEOUT 2,259,064

POWER FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Feb. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 6, 1942. R. H. RIIDEOUT POWER MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS File d Feb. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-SheetZ Patented Jan. 6, 1942 POWER. FEED NIECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Russell H. Rideout, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Buffalo Forge Company, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application February 24, 1940, Serial No. 320,666

Claims.

This invention relates to power feed mechanisms for machine tools, such for example as drilling machines.

' One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved and simplified power feed mechanism for feeding a cutting tool relatively to the work to effect the desired operation on the work; Another object is to provide a feed device of this kind which can be operated either by hand" or by power and which can be quickly changed to be operated either by hand or by power. It is also an object of this invention to provide a mechanism of this kind in which the power operated mechanism may become operative by merely applying an increased force to the hand feed lever. Another object is to provide means of improved construction for automatically stopping the power feed when the tool has advanced to the desired extent.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and claims.

I have herein illustrated and described myimproved power feed mechanism as applied, by way of example, to a drilling machine of a particular construction, but it will be understood that this invention may be applied to other types of drilling machines, and to other machine tools.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a drilling machine having applied thereto a power feed mechanism embodying this invention. I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation thereof, on a larger scale, showing ring retaining means emplayed, in connection with the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof, on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the drilling machine and power feed mechanism, on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional elevations thereof, on an enlarged scale, on line 66, Fig. 1, the parts being shown in different positions in the two figures.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional thereof, on line 8-8, Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a similar fragmentary elevation thereof, on line 9 -9, Fig. 6.

elevation which is suitably journalled on theupper housing part H5. The standard l5 maybe provided with the usual guideway IS on which a bracket 19 is arranged for vertical adjustment. This bracket carries the usual means. for feeding or adjusting the drill toward andfrom the work and. may be secured at different elevations on the guide [8 by any suitableclamping means, which may, for example, include a clamping rod 20.- The drill spindle 11 is also adjustable vertically, being rotatable within a spindle sleeve 22. The weight of the spindle and spindle sleeve as well'as the weight of the adjustable bracket l9 may be suitably counter-balanced to facilitate adjustment of the same, andin the construction shown for this purpose, a yoke or rod. 24 is pivotally connected with the spindle sleeve 22 and the bracket l9 and one end of a chain 25 is connected to the rod' 24. The chain may pass over a pulley or sprocket wheel (not shown) and extend downwardly'into the standard l5 and the usual counterweight may be secured to the other end of the chain.

The particular means for imparting rotation to the spindle I1 are not shown, since they do not form a part of this invention. 'Theupper portion of the spindle I1 is splined to-a bearing sleeve 21 which is suitably journalled by means of ball bearings 28 and 29, the outer races of which are secured to a gear frame or housing 30 secured to the housing part It. Any other bearing means for the spindle may, of course, be provided, if desired. The spindle I1 is adjusted vertically relatively to its bearing sleeve 21 by .means of the spindle sleeve 22, in which the spindle is free to rotate but held against endwise movement. The spindle sleeve is arranged to slide vertically in the outer end of the bracket l9, and in the construction shown is provided with rock teeth 3| which mesh with a pinion 32, Fig. 4, secured on a driven shaft 33. The shaft 33 is suitably journalled in the forwardly extending portion of the bracket l9 and may: be rotated by means of arms 34 suitably secured to one end of the driven shaft 33. Below the spindle sleeve, the spindle I1 is provided withan'y suitable or usual tool holder 35, and'36 indicates in part Figs. 10 and 11 are fragmentary side elevations or developments of the cooperating cams shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and showing these cams in different relations to each other, and on an enlarged scale.

; Referring to Fig. 1, l5 represents an upright standard of a drilling machine having an upper casing or housing part I6 secured thereto. l1 represents the spindle of the drilling machine a drill or other tool held by the tool holder 35.

If it is desired to take off power'from' the spindle l1 and to transmit it to the driven shaft 33 for the purpose of providing anautomatic' or power feed for the spindle sleeve 22, this may be done in any suitable or desired manner, and in the construction illustrated, I have provided the sleeve 21 with gear teeth 40, which may be formed integral therewith or on a ring secured to the sleeve 21. The teeth 40 of the sleeve 21 mesh with a gear 4| which is journalled to rotate about ashaft 4 2 suitably journalled in the gear frame or housing 30. The gear 4| preferably has a pinion 43 formed thereon or secured thereto} and also includes the gears 49, 50 and all of which are keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft 42. The gears 48, 49, 50, and 5| respectively mesh with gears, 52, 53, 54 and 55, which are mounted to rotate about an upright shaft 56. This shaft has a longitudinal recess or slot formed therein containing a dive key 51, which is yieldingly urged by means of a spring into engagement with one or another of the driven gears 52, 53, 54 or 55. The shaft 56v may be raised or lowered to place the dive key 51 intov engagement with any of the four driven gears, the dive key being shown in operative relation to the lowest gear 55 in Fig. 1.

The raising and lowering of the shaft 56 and the holding of the same in adjusted position may be effected in any suitable or desired manner, for example, by means of annular rack teeth 59 formed on the shaft '56 and engaging with a rotatable adjusting pinion 60 which may be locked in any suitable position. Since the mechanism for connecting the desired driven gear to the shaft 56 by means of a dive key is well known and does not of itself constitute a part of this invention, no further description of the same is herein given.

By means of the arrangement of the gears 44 and 41 coaxial with the spindle l1 and rotatable about the spindle, and by arranging the gears 4| and 43 coaxial with the shaft 42 and rotatable about the same, a very compact speed reducing gear train results and the provision of special shafts or bearing pins for these gears is eliminated. Any other means'for transmitting power at a greatly reduced speed of rotation from the spindle I'l to the shaft 56 may be employed, if desired.

The shaft 56 is adapted. to be connected with and disconnected from the driven shaft 33. Any desired driving connection. may be employed for this purpose, and in the construction shown by way of example; the shaft 56 is connected by means of a collar 62 and safety shear pins 63 to a shaft 64, which extends downwardly into a housing 65 mounted on the bracket l9. Within this housing 65 a worm 66 is journalled and this worm is suitably splined to the shaft 64, thus permitting. the vertical adjustment of the shaft 64 to position the dive key as may be desired. The worm 66 engages a worm gear 68 which is mounted'upon'the driven shaft 33 to rotate about the same. The worm gear 68 constitutes the driving member of the power feed device, and it will be obvious that any other means for imparting rotary motion to the driving member 68 may be provided in place of those described.

In accordance with my invention, I provide means operable at will for connecting the driving member 68' to the driven member or shaft 33 whenever it is desired to. have the drill or other tool fed by power toward the work, and means are preferably also provided for automatically releasing or disconnecting the power mechanism from the driven shaft 33 when the tool has moved through or relatively to the work. to the This gear 48 is the largest of a cluster of gears which extent desired, whereupon the spindle and tool carried thereby may be manually moved in the reverse direction away from the work.

The connecting of the driving member 68 to the driven shaft 33 may be effected in any suitable or desired manner, for example by means of a clutch, one element or part of which is secured to or connected with the driving member 63, and the other of which has a driving connection with the driven member or shaft 33. In the constiuction illustrated by way of example, I have provideda-toothed clutch member 10, which is rigidly secured to or formed as a part of the driving member or worm gear 68, and H represents a corresponding toothed clutch member facing the. clutch. member 18 and splined on the driven shaft 33. The two clutch members are normaliy held out of engagement with each other by meansof. a coil spring 12. Since the clutch member H is splined to the driven shaft 33, it

will be obvious. that if this clutch member is moved against. the action of the spring 12, into clutching engagement with the clutch member 10 mounted on the driving member 68, then the driven shaft 33 and its pinion 32 will be driven. by power derived from the spindle, and this pinion in turn will advance the spindle sleeve, the spindle and. the tool mounted thereon toward the work.

In order to move the driven clutch member H into engagement with the driving clutch member 70, I preferably provide a hub or sleeve which is freely rotatable on a part 16 of the shaft 33. This hub may be held against lengthwise movement on the shaft'in one direction by means of a nut 11 secured to the-end of the driven shaft 33. Preferably a thrust bearing 78 is interposed between the hub 15 and the nut 11, and radial arms or rods 19 may be secured to the hub 15 for rotating this hub.

The hub 75, in. the construction shown, is arranged adjacent to the outer face of the driven clutch member H and the outer face of this. clutch member and the inner face of the hub 15 are provided with cooperating cam faces which are so formed that when the hub I5 is rotatedin a direction to feed the tool toward the work, these cam faces will enable the hub 15 to trans.- mit to the clutch member H a rotary motion. Since this clutch member H is splined to the driven shaft 33, this rotary motion of the hub 15 -will, of course, be transmitted to the pinion 32 and to the spindle sleeve 22. If greater force is applied to the hub 15 through the arms 39 thereof, the cams may ride upon each other in such a manner as to throw the two clutch members into engagement with each other against the action of the spring 12 and thus connect the power feed to the tool advancing mechanism.

Cams of any suitable or desired type may be provided for this purpose, on the opposing faces of the driven clutch member H and the hub 15, and in the construction shown, the clutch member H has a series of radial cams or raised faces 80 formed thereon, each having an abrupt rear shoulder H and an inclined or beveled shoulder 82 on the front face thereof. Each cooperating cam on the hub 15 has a two-step. cam or raised part 83 formed thereon having inclined faces 8.4 and 85, arranged to engage. successively with. the inclined cam face 82 of the other cam. Each cam 83 also has an abrupt face 86 adapted to engage with the abrupt faces 8| of the other cams for moving the tool away from the work.

The operation of these cams will be easily un-,-

derstood by reference to Figs. 10 and 11. If the hub member I is turned in a direction to advance the work, thecam face 84 thereof will move into engagement with the correspondingly inclined cam face 82 of the driven clutch member II which is splined to the driven shaft 33. The

- engagement of these two inclined faces 84 and 82 with a light or moderate pressurewill result in a turning of the driven shaft 33 and the feeding of the spindle II toward the work. When the drill or other tool engages the work, if it is desired to apply the power feed, a slightly in creased turning effect may be applied to the hub 15, whereupon the cam face 84 will ride over the cam face 82, until the parts occupy the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 11. During this movement of the clutch member H by means of the inclined cam faces 82 and 84, the spring 12 will be compressed and the driven clutch member splined to the shaft 33 will be moved into engagement with the driving clutch'member II, where'- upon rotation of the driving member II will be transmitted to the driven shaft 33. The movement of the inclined cam face 84 over the in clined cam face 82 may also be effected by having the operator grasp the arms 34 and move them in the opposite direction'to the arms 19. In this way, the cam 83 may be caused to move the cam 80 axially of the shaft 33 without exerting pressure against the tool, or if desired, after the tool has been advanced to the work by turning the hubmember 15 by hand, the operator may hold the arms 34 stationary while exerting slightly greater pressure against the arms 19 in'a direc-' tion to advance the tool, so. that the same result is accomplished without exerting any increased pressure against the tool. The inclined face 85 serves as a stop to limit the extent to which one cam face may be turned relatively to the other. It will also be obvious that when the arms 19 areturned in the opposite direction, the cams will be moved back into the relative posi-' tions shown in Fig. 10, whereupon the abrupt faces or shoulders 8| and 86 will engage to move the spindle away from the work.

It may be desirable at times to operate the feeding of the drill or other tool toward the work entirely by hand, and for this purpose, means may be provided for releasably or temporarily connecting the hub 15 with the driven clutch member 'II. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose, and in the'construction shown, I have illustrated by way of example a coupling bolt 88 which is arranged in a' hole in the hub I5, and which may enter into a hole 89 in the clutch member II which is splined to the shaft 33. In order to readily move the coupling bolt 88 into operative or inoperative positions, this bolt is preferably provided with an outwardly extending handle or pin 89a, which extends through a slot 90 in the peripheral portion of the hub 15. The slot may have a radially extending part 9|. A spring 92 is also preferably provided for yieldingly urging the coupling bolt 88 into its coupling positionas shownin Fig. 7. If it is desired to uncouple the hub I5 from the clutch member II, the coupling bolt maybe moved out of its operative position against the action of the spring 92, by means of the pin 89a which may be withdrawn lengthwise of the slot 90 and moved laterally into the lateral extension 9| of this slot, as shown in Fig. 6. When this is done, the hub 15 will be disconnected from the clutch member II. If desired, the coupling bolt 88 may be provided with a pin or extension 92a which extends through a hole in a spring retaining sleeve 93 and serves to hold the coupling bolt in correct alinement with the hole in the hub 15 and with the ho1e'89.

It is also desirable to provide means for auto matically disengaging the power feed when the drill or other tool has made the desired cut in the work. For this purpose, I have provided an adjustable ring 96 which is suitably mounted in the housing 'to rotate about the axis of the driven shaft 33. The ring may, of course, be rotatably mounted in the housing 65 in any suitable or desired manner, and in the construction shown, I have provided an improved rotatable mounting, which includes an annular slot 91 formed in a flange 98 of the ring. The housing 65 is provided at a number of intervals about the ring 96 with disks I00- which may be held in place by means of screws I M, or in any other suitable manner. The peripheral portions of these disks enter into the groove 91 of the ring, so that the ring is retained in place on the housing 65 and may readily be turned relatively to the same. The ring may also be locked in'an adjusted position in any suitable or desired man ner, for example, by means of a locking screw I03 which extends into a radial threaded hole in ment with the relatively stationary post I05 of the ring, the hub 15' will be held against further turning, so that the cam portion of the clutch member 'II will be moved out of engagement with the projection or cam 83 of the hub 15, thus returning, the cams into the relative positions shown in Fig. 10. This in turn causes the clutch members to be moved out of engagement with each other by means of the spring 12, thus interrupting the power feed of the spindle II.

In order to enable the post I05 on the ring 96 to be readily positioned in correct relation to the movable pin I06 on the hub 15, the flange 98 of the ring may be provided with graduations IIO, which may cooperate with a zero mark on the housing 65. By releasing the locking screw I03, the ring 96 may be turned into any desired position, and the number appearing on the dial IIO opposite thezero mark on the housing 65 will indicate the depth to which the drill spindle U will be moved toward the work before the pins I05 and I08 engage to cause the disengagement of the clutch members I0 and II.

The ring 96 is preferably also provided with means for preventing the turning of the same through more than a single revolution, and for this purpose, a pin II2 may be provided in the flange 98 of the ring, which may en age with a fixed pin I I4 secured inthe housing 65.

In the use of the power feed mechanism herein described, assuming that one or more holes of a certain depth are to be drilled, the mechanism is adjusted for the depth at which the automatic mechanism is to cease feeding the drill by first releasing the holding screw I03 and turning the ring 96 into a position corresponding to that at which the power feed of the drill is to be stopped. This may, for example, be done by first lowering the drill into contact with the work, reading the position of the spindle sleeve 22 with relation to the usual scale H5 thereon, adding the desired depth to this reading, and setting the ring 96 in accordance with the result of this calculation. The speed of the power feed is then controlled by adjusting the shaft 55 vertically by means of the pinion 60 so that the dive key engages with the desired one of the gears 52, 53, 5 5 or 55. The hub 15 is turned to a slight extent in the direction to advance the drill spindle to the work, for example, by striking one of the arms or rods 19 with the hand. This causes the engagement of the cams as described, and moves the driving and driven clutch members into engagement, thus coupling the driven shaft 33 and the feed pinion 32 thereon with the power feed mechanism. The drill is then automatically fed to the work by the power mechanism, and as soon as the hole has been drilled almost to the desired depth, the post I06 on the hub 75 will engage the post I05, thus stopping further rotation of the hub 15. A slight further movement of the drill until it reaches the desired depth takes place while the cam 82 of the clutch member H is moving out of engagement with the cam 83 on the hub 15, and as soon as these two cams are out of engagement, the clutch members I0 and H are also moved out of engagement, thus interrupting the power feed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A power feed mechanism for advancing the tool to the work, including a driven shaft connected with said tool for moving the same toward and from the work, a clutch member splined on said shaft, a driving clutch member rotatable about said shaft and adapted to engage said first mentioned clutch member to transmit power to said shaft, means for yieldingly urging said clutch members out of engagement with each other, a hand operated feed member mounted to rotate on said shaft, cooperating faces on said hand feed member and said splined clutch member for urging said splined clutch member into engagement with said other clutch member to cause said power feed mechanism to advance the tool to the Work, and means for locking said hand feed member and said splined clutch member against relative rotation while the latter is out of engagement with said other clutch member, for nabling said tool to be advanced toward and from the work only by means of said hand feed member.

2. A power feed mechanism for advancing a tool to the work, including a rotary driving member for supplying power to said mechanism and having a clutch face, a rotary driven member connected with the tool to move the same toward and from the work, a clutch member having a driving connection with said driven member and movable toward and from said clutch face, a hand operated feed member having a cam connection with said clutch member for imparting a torque to said driven member through said clutch member and for moving said clutch meme ber into engagement with said clutch face, and a bolt movable at will for locking said hand member and said clutch member against relative rotation while the clutch member is out of engagement with said clutch face to cause the tool to be moved toward and from the work only by said hand member only.

3. A power feed mechanism for advancing a tool to the work, including a rotary driving memher for supplying power to said mechanism, a

rotary driven member connected with the tool to move the same toward and from the work, a pair of clutch members one of which is connected with said driving member, and the other of which is connected with said driven member, means for normally holding said clutch members apart, a hand feed member 'rotatably mounted on said driven member, cooperating cam faces on said hand feed member and said other clutch member, said cam faces being formed to engage and transmit power through said second clutch member to rotate said driven member from said hand feed member upon application of a force to said hand feed member sufiioient only to move the tool to the work, and to move one cam member relatively to the other upon application of a greater force to said hand feed member to move said clutch members into clutching engagement with each other, and adjustable means adapted to engage said hand feed member to hold the same against turning for disengaging said clutch members when said tool has been moved to the work to the desired extent.

4, A power feed mechanism for advancing a tool to the work, including a rotary driving member for supplying power to said mechanism, a rotary driven member connected with the tool to move the same toward and from the Work, a part splined on said driven member and movable into and out of driving relation to the driving member, a hand operated feed member having a cam connection with said splined member, said cam connection including an inclined face through which rotary motion may be transmitted from said hand feed member to said splined member upon application to said hand feed member of a force only sufficient to feed the tool to the work and which inclined face, upon application of a greater force to said hand feed member, moves said splined member lengthwise into driving engagement with said driving member, a stop on said feed member, and a relatively stationary stop adjustable to different positions in the path of movement of said first stop, said stops when engaging moving said cam connection into a position to interrupt said driving engagement between said driving and driven members.

5. A power feed mechanism for advancing a tool to the work, including a rotary driving member for supplying power to said mechanism, a rotary driven member connected with the tool to move the same toward and from the work, a pair of clutch members one of which is connected with said driving member, and the other of which is connected with said driven member, means for normally holding said clutch members apart, a hand feed member rotatably mounted on said driven member, cooperating cam faces on said hand feed member and said other clutch member, said cam faces being formed to engage and transmit power through said second clutch member to rotate said driven member from said hand feed member, upon application of a force to said hand feed member sufficient only to move the tool to the work, and to move one cam member relatively to the other upon application of a greater force to said hand feed member to move said clutch members into clutching engagement with each other, and a member movable at will into position to form a positive driving connection between said hand feed member and said second clutch member while the same are in position for operation from said hand feed member.

RUSSELL H. RIDEOUT. I 

